Christine Mottau

Ballpoint Pen

Artist Statement

These recent drawings continue to explore the emergence of light through the darkness and, as in all of my work, the inspiration is derived from visual experiences in nature. The use of ballpoint pen as a medium where volume and darkness is achieved through what seem to be millions of crosshatched lines is an almost meditative practice. Rhythmic and obsessive in nature, the development of this work moves slowly. There is a departure from the crosshatching technique in some of the pieces. The drawings where the line is more elongated and fluid come from a continued referral to my primary education as an artist. The influence of "psychedelic" abstraction of the sixties and early seventies from artists like Gail Collins and Peter Max has informed my visual expression throughout my career. As labor intensive as the process is, I thoroughly enjoy making these drawings.